COFFEE SHOP ON WILSON AVE. IN STANDALE REAPPEARS AS BIGGBY COFFEE

Standale, Mich., Sept. 13, 2010 –BIGGBY COFFEE will open its 111th store and its first location in Standale on Tuesday, Sept. 21. The store, located at 355 Wilson Avenue, will celebrate with free brewed coffee for all guests the entire week of Sept. 21- 27. In addition, it will offer $1.00 off specialty beverages on Sept. 21 for Grand Valley State University students who present their current student I.D.

The BIGGBY COFFEE on Wilson Avenue was formerly a Starbucks Coffee location before it was closed last year as part of the Seattle-based retailer’s effort to shutter more than 600 of its cafés across the United States. While Starbucks was busy closing 18 stores in Michigan last year, BIGGBY COFFEE opened 11 new stores in the state. The growing Michigan brand has added another five stores to the state this year.

This is the first franchise operation for Grand Rapids resident Sam Schmidt, who will co-own the store along with his son and daughter-in-law Josh and Katie Schmidt.

“My son grew up watching me run businesses, so when we decided to partner on our first business venture we immediately decided on opening a BIGGBY COFFEE,” said Sam Schmidt. “Our passion for the brand, paired with its continued growth and Michigan-based roots, really sealed the deal for us. We look forward to providing the superior service the franchise is known for to the Standale community.”

The Standale store is located on Wilson near the Lake Mich. Drive intersection. The store is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays. The 1,750 square-foot store features drive-thru service, free Wi-Fi connections, fireplace, a big screen TV and a patio.

The full menu of gourmet coffee, tea and frozen drink selections can be found online at www.biggby.com. The same web address provides mobile phone users with a phone-optimized view that allows a quick view of calorie and content information for all of BIGGBY COFFEE’s signature drinks.

About BIGGBY COFFEE®

East Lansing, Mich.-based BIGGBY COFFEE opened a single store in March of 1995 based on the founding principle that coffee-lovers and the coffee-curious alike would benefit from a less pretentious approach to the standard gourmet café paradigm. BIGGBY COFFEE introduced connoisseur-worthy drinks with pronounceable names like Teddy Bear and Caramel Marvel, and barista staff surprised guests with simple gestures like free kazoos and bouncy balls for no other reason than to brighten their day. The “Big Orange ‘B’” caught on, and today BIGGBY COFFEE has 111 cafés across six states including Alabama, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, South Carolina and Wisconsin. For more information, visit www.biggby.com.